


Glory in Oblivion

by fangirlamanda



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: F/M, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Rey Needs A Hug, you're gonna love it i promise
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-12
Updated: 2020-01-12
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:34:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,744
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22231870
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlamanda/pseuds/fangirlamanda
Summary: The war is over, the First Order is dead, but there are still battles that have yet to be fought. The years of fighting have left millions of people displaced, dazed, and unsure of what to do next. Rey and Poe are on the forefront. Rey knew that being the last Jedi was never going to be easy, but with a surge in the Force and a tug leading her towards a particular pilot, her future is hazed by uncertainty. Meanwhile, the weight of the galaxy seems to have fallen onto Poe Dameron’s shoulders. Even with Finn as his co-General, the Resistance had been left to him by Leia, and it was up to him to figure out what to do next. Part of him hadn’t expected to live to see the end of the war, so now he’s left to sort out what his own future should hold. Their only solace is the support they have around them, and of course, each other.
Relationships: Finn & Rey (Star Wars), Poe Dameron & Finn, Poe Dameron/Rey
Comments: 4
Kudos: 30





	Glory in Oblivion

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! New story! This is compliant with my earlier fic attempting to rewrite TRoS. I had the idea for this while I was writing that one, and suddenly the urge for this one was too strong to resist. Also, when I had the idea for this, I saw it as more of a Legends-style novel than a fanfic. Of course, it's Damerey-centric, however I'm meaning for it to be more of an expansion of the universe that happens around the two characters I'll be focusing on! I really hope that everyone enjoys it!

Flashes of blue and red reflected off the glossy jungle leaves surrounding her. Rey looked up to the sky as the fireworks exploded, bathing her in bursts of colored light. The display was meant to be pretty, exciting even, but in her mind’s eye she saw X-wings bursting into balls of fire, careening into the sides of Star Destroyers. Rey winced and looked away, directing her focus to the comm center, where one lone operator sat, intercepting and recording reports of uprisings all over the galaxy. The transmissions were accompanied by a distant chorus of celebrations, as the rest of the base was enjoying their sudden victory. 

Rey didn’t feel like celebrating. She’d excused herself from the festivities, citing exhaustion, but that couldn’t have been farther from the truth. Her mind was exhausted, but her body had never felt more awake. Her entire body seemed to buzz like a high powered light fixture and she couldn’t sit still for longer than a few seconds. The Jedi were about control, peace, discipline, and all of that had escaped her. Once she’d destroyed Palpatine, the galaxy had been rid of the Sith, swaying the Force back towards the light in a way that it hadn’t been in years. The power that came with being the last Jedi had already given her more closeness to the Force than she’d bargained for, but this was almost too much. The deaths on her side hadn’t gone unnoticed in the Force either. Rey’s gut felt permanently twisted at the loss of so many good people. 

Then there was Ben. He’d sacrificed his life for hers, and in the process, it felt like he had forcibly stuffed her soul back into her body. Everything felt different, neither right nor wrong. But in his death, their bond had been broken, and Rey felt a new form of freedom unlike any before. She felt like her head was truly her own for the first time since he’d invaded it on his Star Destroyer. Her thoughts were safe and she no longer felt nervous looking over her shoulder. In their bond, she’d thought that Ben Solo and Kylo Ren had been two different people, but now she wasn’t sure. She would always be grateful for him standing with her in the end, but that alone could never have been enough to atone for everything he’d done.

A chill ran up her spine for a moment as she sensed someone behind her, but it was quickly dismissed by the voice that greeted her.

“Hey.”

_ Poe _ .

She turned in her chair to look at him. His ruggedly handsome face was still smudged with dirt in a few places, and there was a piece of tape holding a gash on his forehead together. 

“Hey,” she replied, giving him a warm smile. “What’s that?”

In his left hand he held a glass bottle containing a bright pink liquid.

“A little victory alcohol,” he told her. “Drink with me?”

“I’ve got nothing better to do, flyboy,” she teased, trying to lighten herself up.

Poe grinned and took a seat on the ledge that faced her chair. He shook the drink aggressively before popping the cork out, causing a lighter pink froth to settle atop the drink. 

“Jedi first,” he smirked, handing her the bottle. 

“You know Jedi aren’t really supposed to drink, right?”

“Yeah, you say that every time before you start doing it,” he quipped.

Rey chuckled and took a swig. The sweet, fruity flavor hit her tongue and the taste alone seemed to take the edge off. She took multiple swallows before moving it from her lips and handing the bottle back to Poe.

“What  _ is  _ that?” she sighed, wiping her mouth.

“Yavinese whiskey,” he told her, taking a swig. “It’s from my homeworld, it’s made from the koyo melons that grow there.”

“I thought you said you hadn’t been home in years?”

“I haven’t,” he said, passing the whiskey back to her. “I brought it back with me after my last visit. I promised myself I’d save it until the war was over.”

They continued passing the bottle back and forth for a few minutes, simply enjoying each other’s company. The more she had, the more her body seemed to relax. Her mind fuzzed as she filled her body with the whiskey. Rey had never liked the way she lost some of her connection with the Force when she drank, but this time, it was a good thing.

“Hey, uh-” Poe stammered. “There’s no easy way for me to ask this, but… What happened on Exegol?”

“What do you mean?” she responded, furrowing her brow at him.

“Rey, I felt something,” he said, struggling to get out the words. “I don’t know what, but all of a sudden I just had this feeling that-” he trailed off.

Rey placed her hand over his. “That what?”

Poe looked at her with an unsure concern. “You were gone. What happened?”

“I-I don’t know,” she lied.

She wanted to tell him the truth. The real story about what happened was already threatening to claw its way out, but she couldn’t let it. He’d never look at her the same if he knew the truth, and she didn’t know what he’d hate her more for: being a Palpatine or kissing the man who would most likely never cease to star in their nightmares.

Poe simply bit his lip and nodded before taking another swig. She could tell he wanted to press further, but he gave her the space she needed.

“So, why aren’t you out there celebrating, General?” she asked.

She saw a meek smile spread across his face at the upgraded title as he looked at his shoes.

After a long pause, he finally answered. “I know I should be celebrating. I mean, kriff we  _ won  _ the damn war. We saved the galaxy. But every time I walk into a room I’m reminded of what it cost. I’m reminded of how many good people, good friends had to die for us to get here, and how much of it falls on me.”

“You did everything you could to protect your pilots,” she said, grabbing both of his hands to get his attention.

“But what if it wasn’t enough?” Poe asked, looking up at her. The tears in his eyes becoming more obvious as their faces got closer. “How many people I loved could I have saved if only I’d been better?”

Rey couldn’t do this. She couldn’t listen to him self-destruct over his inability to save everyone. Without even thinking she blurted out, “I almost went Sith.”

She could’ve sworn Poe stopped breathing. “You  _ what _ ?”

“On Exegol,” she inhaled sharply. “Palpatine said that the only way to save everyone was to kill him and let his spirit inhabit my body, and take his place as the new Emperor. In that moment, all I could think about was how much I’d lost to him. My parents, my life, I couldn’t let him take you, too. I just gave up.”

His eyes were locked on hers as he leaned forward, perched on the edge of his seat. He hung onto every word she spoke, searching her eyes for any hidden meanings.

“But it wasn’t until the lightning hit that I realized, it’s never been about what I lost,” she told him as they each gripped the other’s hands firmly. “It was about what I found. I spent 14 years alone on Jakku as a scavenger, only to become the last Jedi in the galaxy thanks to one little droid. Then I found Finn, and Chewie, and Rose, and you…” she trailed off, gazing into his saucer-like eyes. “And I realized that you wouldn’t want me to give up, to give in just because you were at risk. We all had the same goal; to protect our homes and the people that we love. And that’s worth fighting for.”

“Rey, I-” he practically gasped out, but his sentence was cut short by her pressing her mouth to his. 

Never in a million years did Rey think she would’ve done it. But something in her gut had told her to go for it, and with the alcohol in her system, she hadn’t been in much of a position to keep restraining herself like that. 

He stilled under her touch, clearly shocked by her sudden gesture, and Rey immediately regretted it.  _ Force, he’s going to hate me. _

Rey pulled back and averted her gaze. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, standing up as her body went into fight or flight mode. 

She hadn’t even been able to get farther than a step before Poe grabbed her arm and stopped her. Next thing she knew, his hands were at her waist and she was flush against him, his lips holding fast to hers. The kiss was messy but full of heat, her hands gripping onto his shirt to hold him as close as she could. Rey was losing herself, and she was fine with it. They were practically drowning in one another, both knowing that this wasn’t just the alcohol.

They were brought back to the surface by the sound of someone clearing their throat. 

Poe pulled away and loosened his grip on her as he turned to look at their visitor, Jess Pava.

“General, there’s someone here who needs to see you,” the now bright-red pilot called out. 

“I’ll be right down!” he shouted back, his voice hoarse. 

Both of their faces had turned the shade of Yavinese whiskey and Rey was unsure if it was from embarrassment or the inability to breathe. 

“I, uh” he sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“Don’t,” she cut him off. Rey could barely sort out her own feelings in that moment. She was buzzed, but she knew how she felt about him. He was everything she never knew she wanted, and yet her own secrets could be the one to bring it all down. “We can talk later.”

Poe nodded and squeezed her hand in reassurance before grabbing the whiskey and taking off.

Rey watched him leave and felt her stomach twist. She’d never liked to watch people go, even if it was just to the next room for a few minutes. A lifetime of abandonment had ensured that. Poe Dameron was one of the best things to have ever walked into her life, and she prayed that whenever the truth came out, he wouldn’t walk away forever.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are always highly encouraged and appreciated! 
> 
> -All my love, Amanda <3


End file.
